When I Think of Research...

Research and the technical terms that go along with it are overwhelming and intimidating to say the least. In the beginning of the class I was nervous and worried about understanding the process and terms of research. I have learned that in order to truly understand the process in its entirety you have to do a little research of your own. When I came across a term or idea that I did not understand I continued to look for more answers that would explain it to my understanding. From this course I have gained more knowledge about how to and why we implement research studies. I have also gained new knowledge in the differences between qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research studies. All of those I barely understood in the beginning.

In the beginning of the class if I had a choice in whether or not to implement a research project I would have immediately said no thanks. However, now I have more confidence that I could in fact apply my knowledge. Before this course I knew that research was necessary in helping many ideas become valid. I also knew that research could change the lives of many people. However, I did not picture myself as a part of the equation. Today I can happily say that I would join in on a research and be knowledgeable enough to have an active position.

In early childhood I learned that we need to have a majority of our research decided ahead of time. We need to take into consideration the ethical issues that could arise along with what design we will implement. Confidentiality is an issue that needs to be immediately addressed and we must also have a plan of action if it must be broken or is broken. When conducting the research in early childhood we must be prepared to use multiple tools in the early childhood field as well as have a determined time span planned.

The challenges that I faced started with understanding the technical terms. To combat this I researched outside of our course research to find definitions that would use terms that I could understand. Sometimes this was times consuming which made it a little more difficult with the large family that I have. The next challenge was to then take the terms that I learned and apply them to my research topic. There were times when I felt that I had to relearn the term to be able to relate it to my topic. Again, though time consuming I had to keep researching until I understood.

I do not feel that my thoughts about early childhood professionals have been modified. However, my admiration and respect has grown stronger. The work that educational professionals put into their careers and the children and families that they serve is a never ending job. Educational professionals are constantly working to better themselves and the lives of their students. This profession is not Monday through Friday 9-5, it is constant. Even when not on a schedule professionals are thinking about the next right idea to implement. This field takes compassion and willingness to want to change a child’s future.

Reserach Around the World

·         What are some of the current international research topics?

Parents’ and Other Caregivers’ Perception of Early Childhood Development Needs and Quality: A Study of the PLAN-Assisted Programmes in Bawjiase, Ghana, was the first research study I read through. This was interesting to me because I was glad to see that internationally we all agree that it is important for parent involvement. A part to parent involvement is to see that parents have the knowledge of Early Childhood Development. When parents can have that knowledge then they can help assist the educators with the developmental success of their children.

Involving Fathers in Early Childhood Care and Development and Assessment of Interaction and Stimulation in Single-Mother Low-Income Families were two more research studies that I was able to read. Again, this common issue is not just here in your hometown, but internationally we are all struggling trying to overcome the same issues and trends. I believe this further confirms that together we can help one another come up with different solutions that will ensure the success of the children in early childhood development.

·         What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from

exploring this international early childhood website?

I was intrigued by their generative curriculum approach. I appreciate first that this approach is a curriculum that expects results and starts from the beginning. The historical approach discusses “how we came to be here”.  I feel this is important for early childhood in order to know how to expand on education and care we must know where they started, where they currently stand, and then ultimately the goal we look to work toward. You can read further into this approach by linking to this page http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/generative.php.

·         What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

Promoting ripple effects and networking activities was noteworthy as well. When researching ways to improve on any issue; you would like to get as much information as possible while also reaching those that would benefit from the information. When researchers network their information the ripple effect can travel pretty far. The internet abilities have grown and even though some might see this as a negative, there are many positive outcomes we can gain from sharing information internationally and gaining as much support and knowledge that we can in order to improve the development and growth of early childhood.

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

Option 2:

Imagine that you possess the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field. Imagine further that you are not restricted by the reality of the present. Imagine that your study will make a major positive contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families. What topic would you choose? What can you imagine the positive contribution(s) would be?

For a few years, I worked in a preschool classroom for children with special needs. These classrooms were integrated consisting of 6 typical children and 6 children with developmental disabilities. The topic I would choose to research is the benefits of inclusion beginning in early childhood. The reason I would choose this topic is because it not only benefits the child with developmental disabilities, but also the typical child. My two older children were enrolled in this program. One child was considered typical while the other was present because of being on an IEP. Both of my children benefited in many ways. The research that I would implement would include the students, teachers, and families of all of the students in the classroom.

There are not many preschool classrooms that are set up in this manner, however I feel the trend is growing and with proper research and knowledge it can become more accepted. The main advertisement that I see for these classrooms is the need for peer models. This would be addressing the typical children. Most schools that serve those individuals with developmental disabilities are looking to benefit the children who are currently on an IEP and receiving early interventions. However, I believe that it needs to be stated how the typical child would benefit just as well.

Recently, at a school conference for my oldest daughter, the English teacher’s first statement to me was about my daughter’s patience and compassion. He further explained to me how he has her sitting with another student who has Autism along with several other diagnoses. This student, at times, needs more attention and patience from teachers and students. He stated that my daughter was the only one in his classroom that held the ability to work with this student. I then explained to him how she was raised in an environment to respect others no matter if they had a disability or not. She was taught while in this integrated preschool program, patience, compassion, humility, and how to view a person without seeing their disability to define them.

My son was on the other side of this coin. He was in the classroom on an IEP and receiving early interventions for a speech delay. He was able to observe, listen, and work with other children and gain valuable knowledge through firsthand experience. He never felt out of place and was treated by the teachers and other students with respect. He was allowed the opportunity to have interventions without feeling different. The Speech Therapist came to the room and did group therapy with all of the children and then did individual therapies outside of the room. This practice I feel helped the children not feel as if they were different; they did not have to feel uncomfortable.

The positive contribution that would come from this research would be to advocate for these programs and showcase the benefits for both children with disabilities and children without. Together the children can learn compassion for one another, respect, social acceptance, and carry those qualities on with them in their future. Families will see how their children benefit now and in the future.

My Personal Research Journey

The subtopic that I have decided to further research is the early intervention process for children with speech delays. This is a personal adversity that we have faced within our family. My son was diagnosed and started receiving speech therapy at 18 months of age. Throughout this process he was put on an IEP, started an Early Intervention class twice a week, had a speech therapist that worked with him in these classes individually and in a group setting, and also utilized private speech sessions. When my son was about to start Kindergarten the decision was made to terminate the IEP. Today my son is in 3^rd grade and still struggles within the schools system. Just about a week ago he was put on a 504 plan to help accommodate his needs. I have been his biggest advocate and if it were not for my constant pushing I believe he would be very far behind his classmates. I chose this topic because it is close to my heart and I feel that educators need to start holding a bigger part in advocating for children. This process starts with creating that relationship with children and their families so you are up-to-date with any issues that arise or concerns that parents might have.

 I do not know about anyone else, but for me I have always had a more difficult time utilizing the Walden Library and I am hoping with this class I will learn more and at the end of the 8 weeks I should be able to use this wonderful resource with more ease. I would love to get some insight from my fellow colleagues about their experiences researching a topic within the Walden Library.